The University of Southern Indiana men's and women's basketball teams will begin their quests for an NCAA Division II Tournament appearance this Wednesday, February 27 and Thursday, February 28, as they participate in Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament at Roberts Stadium. The women will play the University of Wisconsin-Parkside while the men will face the University of Indianapolis.

The USI women's team (23-5, 16-4 GLVC) will be the number two seed in the tournament and will play seventh seeded UWP (9-15 overall, 9-11 GLVC) at 6 p.m. on February 27. Northern Kentucky University (21-5, 17-3 GLVC) is the number one seed and will play eighth seeded Saint Joseph's College (9-17, 8-12 GLVC), in the 8:30 p.m.

The USI women's squad, ranked sixth nationally, is still in the hunt to host the NCAA II Great Lakes Regional, scheduled for March 7-9. The Eagles may need to reach the tournament championship game to remain in the hunt for the top spot in the region.

USI, which swept the Lady Rangers in the regular season, has won two of the four previous GLVC Tournaments. The Eagles swept through the tournament last season on their way to their second NCAA II Elite Eight appearance.

The USI men's team (21-7, 14-6 GLVC) fell to the fourth seed after the loss to Kentucky Wesleyan College on Saturday night and will play Indianapolis (15-11, 11-9 GLVC), the fifth seed, at 6 p.m. February 28. KWC (25-1, 19-1 GLVC), the number one seed, will play the eighth seeded University of Missouri-St. Louis (10-16, 6-14 GLVC) in the 8:30 p.m. game Thursday.

The Eagles are still in the hunt for a berth in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional and may need at least one victory in the league tournament to earn a spot. USI has the longest running string of NCAA II Tournament appearances at nine.

During the regular season, the Eagles swept Indianapolis, winning in dramatic fashion on the road 91-90 and at the PAC 86-68.

USI has taken the second chair to KWC in each of the four conference tournaments, but that will not happen this year with the Eagles and Panthers in the same bracket. The teams could square off for the third time this season in the semifinals Friday, March 1, at 8:30 p.m.

Ticket package are available for $35. Individual session tickets - $8 adults, $6 students - also are on sale. Championship tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students. For more information about tickets, call Roberts Stadium at 812/476-1383.